MAC Wrestling Earns Top National Honors In Second NCAA Coaches Ranking
 
INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA released the second of four coaches’ panel rankings and ratings percentage index (RPI) rankings for the 2019-20 wrestling season.  The MAC was represented with 53 wrestlers earning spots in the RPI Rankings, including six wrestlers within the top ten of the weight classes, and 49 wrestlers ranked in the Coaches Rankings, including four wrestlers ranked in the top ten of the weight classes.  The final rankings will be one of the tools used as part of the selection process to determine the qualifiers for the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. This year’s event is March 19-21 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. 

In the RPI Rankings, Missouri's Brock Mauller (149) was ranked No. 4 and Central Michigan's Drew Hildebrandt (125) was ranked No. 6 in their respective weight classes.  Rider's Jesse Dellavecchia (157) and Central Michigan's Matt Stencel (285) were both ranked No. 7, while Missouri's Wyatt Koelling (197) was ranked No. 9 and Old Dominion's Larry Early (157) was ranked No. 10. 

Within the Coaches Rankings, Missouri's Brock Mauller (149) and Central Michigan's Matt Stencel (285) each ranked No. 4 in their respective weight classes.  Rider's Jesse Dellavecchia (157) was ranked No. 6, while Central Michigan's Drew Hildebrandt (125) was ranked No. 7.
  
2019-20 USA Today/NWCA Coaches National Poll
No. 24    Missouri

Missouri enters this weekend ranked No. 24 in the country by the USA Today/NWCA Coaches national rankings with an 11-7 overall record, 8-0 in the MAC.  

The rankings are determined by a vote of 14 coaches in each weight class with two head coaches from each of the seven conferences (MAC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, EIWA, Pac-12 and SoCon), which is double the amount of voters that had previously been used for the coaches’ panel rankings. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. Wrestlers must have participated in at least five matches against Division I opponents in the weight class and have wrestled within the last 30 days to be ranked.

The RPI is a calculation that considers a wrestler’s winning percentage, opponent winning percentage (strength of schedule) and opponent’s opponent winning percentage (opponent’s strength of schedule). Only matches against Division I opponents at the designated weight class count towards the RPI and a wrestler needs to have wrestled 15 matches to be ranked.  

The first two NCAA rankings (Jan. 24/Feb. 13) are used primarily for educational purposes to promote the selection criteria to coaches, student-athletes, media and fans. The third ranking (Feb. 27) will be the ranking that will be used by the NCAA Wrestling Committee to assist in determining the advance allocations to each qualifying tournament. The final ranking following conference tournaments will be used to provide the most accurate and up-to-date rankings to the committee as an important element of the selection criteria during the in-person selection meeting.

Wrestlers in each weight class will be measured by winning percentage, rating percentage index (RPI) and coaches’ rankings to earn allocation spots for their qualifying tournaments for the championships. 

The above criteria, in addition to head-to-head competition, quality wins, results against common opponents and qualifying tournament placement are all part of the evaluation process for selection and seeding the committee uses for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

NCAA Division I Wrestling Coaches Rank - Through Matches of Feb. 9
125:
  7. Drew Hildebrandt, Central Michigan
12. Luke Werner, Lock Haven
14. Killian Cardinale, Old Dominion
32. Bryce West, Northern Illinois

133:
16. Derek Spann, Buffalo
17. Tim Rooney, Kent State 
24. D.J. Fehlman, Lock Haven
25. Allan Hart, Missouri

141:
16. Dresden Simon, Central Michigan
18. Evan Cheek, Cleveland State
19. Shakur Laney, Ohio
22. Kyle Shoop, Lock Haven
25. Sa’Derian Perry, Old Dominion
26. Alex Madrigal, George Mason
29. Peter Lipari, Rider

149:
  4. Brock Mauller, Missouri
12. Brock Zacherl, Clarion 
19. Colston DiBlasi, George Mason 
24. Alec Hagan, Ohio 
26. Tyshawn Williams, SIUE 

157:
  6. Jesse Dellavecchia, Rider 
11. Larry Early, Old Dominion
13. Jarrett Jacques, Missouri 
18. Logan Parks, Central Michigan
22. Justin Ruffin, SIUE
23. Zac Carson, Ohio
31. Alexander Klucker, Lock Haven  

165:
22. Troy Keller, Buffalo
25. Izzak Olejnik, Northern Illinois
31. Peyton Mocco, Missouri 
32. Shane Jones, Old Dominion

174:
18. Jacob Oliver, Edinboro
20. Dean Sherry, Rider
24. Andrew McNally, Kent State
32. Connor Flynn, Missouri

184:
18. Trevor Allard, Bloomsburg 
26. Brit Wilson, Northern Illinois
28. Dylan Wisman, Missouri

197:
12. Ethan Laird, Rider 
15. Greg Bulsak, Clarion 
20. Wyatt Koelling, Missouri
26. Gage Braun, Northern Illinois
30. Landon Pelham, Central Michigan 

285:
  4. Matt Stencel, Central Michigan
27. Jon Spaulding, Edinboro
28. Tyler Bagoly, Clarion
31. Colton McKiernan, SIUE 
32. Jordan Earnest, Ohio 
33. Max Ihry, Northern Illinois


The RPI rankings require a minimum of 15 matches against other Division I competition to earn a ranking. The RPI factors winning percentage, opponent winning percentage and opponents’ opponent winning percentage.

NCAA Division I Wrestling Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) -- 17 match minimum vs. Division I opponents -- Though Matches of Feb. 9
125:
  6. Drew Hildebrandt, Central Michigan
11. Killian Cardinale, Old Dominion
15. Luke Werner, Lock Haven
25. Bryce West, Northern Illinois
28. Cameron Valdiviez, Missouri
30. Jonathon Tropea, Rider

133:
11. Allan Hart, Missouri
15. DJ Fehlman, Lock Haven
23. Tim Rooney, Kent State
24. Derek Spann, Buffalo
33. Richie Koehler, Rider

141:
13. Evan Cheek, Cleveland State
14. Dresden Simon, Central Michigan
15. Kyle Shoop, Lock Haven
20. Shakur Laney, Ohio
32. Alex Madrigal, George Mason

149:
  4. Brock Mauller, Missouri
11. Brock Zacherl, Clarion 
16. Tyshawn Williams, SIUE
21. Colston DiBlasi, George Mason 
23. Alec Hagan, Ohio 
28. Kenan Carter, Old Dominion

157:
  7. Jesse Dellavecchia, Rider 
10. Larry Early, Old Dominion
15. Zac Carson, Ohio
21. Logan Parks, Central Michigan
22. Justin Ruffin, SIUE
23. Jarrett Jacques, Missouri 
25. Alexander Klucker, Lock Haven  

165:
20. Troy Keller, Buffalo
28. Peyton Mocco, Missouri 
31. Shane Jones, Old Dominion

174:
13. Dean Sherry, Rider
17. Connor Flynn, Missouri
20. Jacob Oliver, Edinboro
26. Andrew McNally, Kent State
29. Jared Siegrist, Lock Haven

184:
20. Dylan Wisman, Missouri
23. Brit Wilson, Northern Illinois
25. Trevor Allard, Bloomsburg 
30. George Walton, Rider
31. Hunter Yeargan, Ohio

197:
  9. Wyatt Koelling, Missouri
11. Greg Bulsak, Clarion 
13. Ethan Laird, Rider 
17. Gage Braun, Northern Illinois
24. Landon Pelham, Central Michigan 
27. Dylan Reynolds, Edinboro
28. Sam Schuyler, Buffalo

285:
  7. Matt Stencel, Central Michigan
22. Tyler Bagoly, Clarion
27. Jon Spaulding, Edinboro
29. Max Ihry, Northern Illinois